Shedding mechanism for looms



No 6l8,232. Patented Ian. 24, I899.

' J H. NORTHROP.

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOUMS.

7 (Application filed Jim 13, 1898.) (No Model.)

VIII/I A UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. N ORTHROP, OF l-IOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DRAPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND PORTLAND, MAINE.

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,232, dated January 24, 1899.

Application filed June 13,1898- To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, James H. Nonrnnor, of Hopedale, county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shedding Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to looms for weaving; and it has for its main objects the simplification and improvement of the shedding mechanism whereby the overhead arch of the loomframe and the overhead connections between the harness-frames are completely obviated.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a loom, at the left-hand side thereof, showing one form of my invention embodied therein; and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line m 00, Fig. 1, looking toward the left.

The loom sides, one of which is shown at A, have each an attached casting A, with an opening A through which the crankarms are extended, the upper ends of said castings being connected by an integral upright web B, extended across the loom and forming a separator for the lower ends of the series of heddles h h, the web and parts A forming a very strong and rigid portion of the loom-frame. A cross girth or bar 0 is upturned, outwardly extended at its end, as at G, and depressed at its central portion, as at C the said ends being rigidly secured by bolts 5 to the lower ends of the castings A, sleeves 6 on the bolts (see Fig. 2) being interposed between the bar and the rear side of the castings to support the bar in the proper vertical plane. Three studs 0 c 0 project from the front of the depressed portion (3 of the cross girth or bar, on each of which is mounted two like sheaves cl d, having elongated hubs, said sheaves being preferably made of wood impregnated with an antifriction compound, so that the sheaves will turn on the studs with a minimum of friction and without necessitating the use of oil or other lubricating material. Near the outer ends of the bar studs 0 are made, each having two Serial No. 683,269. (No model.)

sheaves d d thereon of the described construction, the sheaves cl and (1 being in one vertical plane, with the sheaves cl and (l in a second parallel plane back of it.

A stand A extends inward from each loom side, near its lower. end, with two vertical bearings a and a, while a double stand B bolted at 8 to the upper end of each casting A, extends inward at each side of the separator B and presents two vertical bearings 11 and I), located vertically above the bearings a and a, respectively.

I have shown herein two harness-frames, each being composed of two upright side rods f, adapted to slide vertically in the bearings provided by the stands A 13, the rods having at their upper ends caps f ,to which are bolted flat cross-bars f, set on edge and connecting the two side bars of each frame.

Herein each harness-frame has two adjacent and parallel cross-bars, as shown in Fig. 2, to support two series of heddles, which also serve as detectors, substantially as shown in United States Patent No. 536,969, dated April 2, 1895, the upper ends of the heddles being longitudinally slotted, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive the cross-bars and permit a limited relative vertical movement of the heddles.

A collar f is adjustably attached to the lower end of each front side bar f, to which is connected one end of a strong lifting-spring S, the upper ends of the pair of springs at each side of the loom being attached to a bracket O bolted to the cross-girth O, the springs tending to lift the harness-frames.

Treadles D and D are pivoted at the back of the loom-frame, as usual, and are depressed by suitable cams, (not shown,) the treadles being suitably connected at their outer ends with the harnessframes to depress them against the action of the springs. A stirrup D is engaged by the treadle D, and a strap or other flexible connection d is attached to the stirrup, passed up over the left-hand sheave d, Fig. 1, under the sheave 01 and up to an adjustable collar f on the left-hand side rod of the front harness-frame. A sec ond strap (1 attached to the right-hand side rod of said frame, passes down under the right-hand sheave 01 over the right-hand and central sheaves d, Fig. 1, and down to the stirrup D so that depression of the treadle D depresses the front harness-frame, as shown. The treadle D engages a similar stirrup D and one strap 61" passes up over the back sheaves d and under the left-hand sheave 61 up to a collar f on the adjacent side rod of the back harness-frame. lhe second strap (i passes up over the right-hand sheave d, thence under right-hand sheave d (not shown,) and up a collar to the adjacent side rod of the back hl|Pl18SS-fftIlle, the said frame being flexibly connected by the straps d" and d to the treadlc D.

By means of the springs S and the connections between the harness-frames and the treadles D D the said frames are reciprocated to form the sheds in well-known manner, the entire mechanism for reciprocating the frames being located at the lower part of the loom, and each frame is independently operated.

Rods m and m are supported by the stands B and extend across the loom at the front and back of the two sets of heddles h and h, respectively, to serve as supports for the warps in the lower plane of the shed.

In the drawings I have omitted parts of the loom having no bearing on my invention for the sake of clearness of illustration.

By means of the central group of sheaves 0 on the cross-girth C the flexible connections lead vertically to the treadles, and the depressed portion (3 of the cross-girth brings the tops of said sheaves tangent to the horizontal plane, which is tangent to the bottom of the sheaves (Z d at the ends of the girth.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a loom, a plurality of independentlymovable harness-frames, each comprising a cross-bar and rigidly connected, verticallymovable side bars, guides for the latter, lifting-springs connected at one end to said side bars, depressing-treadles, and flexible connections from each treadle to the side bars of one of the frames.

2. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two longitudinally-movable side bars and a cross-bar rigidly connecting them at their upper ends, guides for the side bars, a liftingspring connected with the lower end of each side bar, a depressing treadle between the lower ends of said bars, flexible connections between the latter and the treadle, and antifriction-guides for said connections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AMES II. NORTHROP.

Witnesses:

A. H. GOUSINS, GEO. OTIS DRAPER. 

